Promise
by Delectable Sweetness
Summary: Esme looked at her glorious husband. "How can you make a promise like that?" She questioned meekly. She didn't doubt him, would never doubt him, but making a promise like that could be the hardest one he'd ever have to keep.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. They belong to Stephanie Meyers. No copy infringement intended. However, I do own my own writing, my own characters and the plot to this story, Delectable Sweetness©.**

**Author's Note: So this is set in my 'Anna and the Cullen's' universe. For those of you who have read my story 'Precious' you'll know that Anna is Carlisle and Esme's adopted daughter whom they adopted at birth. This story is set just a few days after they bring her home from the hospital.**

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Promise

Esme smiled as she leaned against the doorway to the nursery, watching as Carlisle gently rocked their baby girl to sleep. Butterflies seemed to gather in the pit of her stomach when she thought about the fact that they now had a baby together. It had been through adoption of course, but she was their baby nonetheless, and a beautiful baby she was.

The colour of her eyes had yet to be defined, but she had thick, brown curls matting her head. She had never seen a new-born baby with such thick hair, but then again, she had never really allowed herself to be around babies. It had just dragged up too many upsetting memories of losing her son, her baby boy.

Biting her lower lip, a human habit she had picked up over the years, she felt a slight pang of sorrow well up within her non-beating heart. The loss of her son had been one she had never quite gotten over. The pain had eased slightly over time, but the hole was still there. What seemed to hurt the most, though, was the fact that she couldn't remember his face anymore. Every time she tried, she was just greeted with a blurry image.

A small sigh escaped her lips as her eyes began to sting with tears that would never fall. That loss had been a tough one, and it had driven her to suicide. She had been on the brink of death when Carlisle had found her and had saved her, giving her a new lease on life, a second chance at living.

She would be forever grateful to him for it.

More importantly though, she was grateful for what she had now – a wonderful husband, amazing children and a baby she could call her own. Yes, she was happy now, but she knew that that hole would never completely be filled. It was a reminder of her past, one that she was not so willing to forget!

Coming out of her thoughts, she quietly made her way into the room, stopping beside Carlisle. Reaching out a hand, she gently ran a finger along Anna's chubby cheek. "She's so beautiful," she softly whispered.

Carlisle turned and looked at her, giving her a beaming smile as he continued to gently rock the sleeping baby. "She's perfect," he said, his voice filled with fatherly pride. "I really don't want to put her into her crib," he admitted.

Esme grinned. She knew that feeling. "I know how you feel. When I hold her in my arms, I never want to let her go." The smile dropped from her face, a forlorn expression replacing it. "Carlisle, what… what if the, Volturi find out about her?" She asked worriedly. It had been something that she had been worried about ever since they had decided to adopt. She had never spoken about her fears until now.

She knew the laws the Volturi had placed upon their kind long ago. No human was to know the secret that was their kind. God forbid a human had accidentally found out, they would be killed and so would the vampire who had been careless in revealing it.

And Anna… she was only a baby, an innocent baby. Her life shouldn't be put in danger because of them, but oh, Esme had let the selfish part of her take over long ago, the part of her that had wanted a baby for so long, a child that she could raise with Carlisle.

And so, the love that she had felt for this child since the day she had seen the first scan seemed to be outweighing her guilt about bringing an innocent child into their dangerous and secretive world.

"I promise I won't let that happen." Carlisle spoke, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Esme looked at her glorious husband. "How can you make a promise like that?" She questioned meekly. She didn't doubt him, would never doubt him, but making a promise like that could be the hardest one he'd ever have to keep.

"I promise I'll do everything in my power to make sure they don't find out about her," he supplemented instead.

She nodded as she reached out and took Anna from him, gently cradling her in her arms. "I know you will, sweetheart." She gave him a soft smile before directing her gaze to the tiny bundle in her arms. "I just… worry sometimes," she admitted. "I'm so afraid that something terrible will happen to her and she'll be taken away," she confessed. "What if she gets sick… like… Matthew?" The sound of her dead son's name pulled at her dead heart.

She relaxed a little when Carlisle wrapped her up in his warm embrace, so her back was resting against his chest.

"Medicine has come a long way in the last ninety years, Esme," he softly reassured. She mutely nodded. "She's a perfectly fine and healthy baby, Love. Please don't worry about what might happen in the future?" He softly pleaded.

Tilting her head, she placed a tender kiss on Anna's forehead before resting it back against Carlisle's shoulder. "I'm trying not to. I just… I'm not sure that living in a house full of vampires is the best thing for a kid, and a human kid at that," she bit her lip. "What if one of us loses control?"

"That won't happen!" He reassured.

"How do you know?" She questioned. Oh, why was she worrying so much? She had been so excited when she and Carlisle had decided to adopt and now that they had Anna home from the hospital, she was beginning to drive herself crazy with worry.

Was this what new mothers felt like?

Did they go crazy with worry?

"Esme, you nor I nor any of our other 'children' wouldn't dare hurt, Anna!" He stated in firm reassurance.

Turning her head, she gazed into his golden eyes, nothing but love reflecting back. "I know… I just…" she trailed off with a sigh.

"It's okay to be afraid," he said softly, leaning down to press his lips against hers. "But what's important is the here and the now. Enjoy every moment of it." He gave her a grin, his nose gently brushing against hers.

Smiling, she pecked his lips again. "You're right. I think the knowledge that we now have a baby of our own is still a little bit daunting. There are so many things still to learn."

Esme watched as Carlisle ran one of his fingers along their baby girl's fisted hand that rested against her chin, her mouth forming the perfect 'O' shape as she slept peacefully. "We'll learn together."

"It'll be an interesting adventure," she conceded. Slipping out of Carlisle's grasp, she placed Anna in her crib and covered her up. Turning around, she gave Carlisle a small smile. "Thank you, for listening to me." She grabbed Carlisle's hand as they began walking out of the room.

"You're my wife, Esme, and I love you." He stopped to close the door to the nursery over half-way. "I want to know when you're feeling worried or fearful." He scooped her up into his arms and brought her into their bedroom, closing the door behind him before depositing her on their bed. "Now, how about I help you wipe away some of those fears?" He grinned devilishly.

Giggling, she lazily looped her arms around his neck. "Now that's a therapeutic session I am willing to attended," she joked.

Carlisle always knew how to make her feel better and wipe away her fears.

And maybe he was right. No, she knew he was right.

She just needed to live in the here and now, and enjoy the moment.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? Was it any good?**

**Review please. *_* xxx**


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